Deja Vu in Bavaria, a snooze in Dortmund, and goats on the prowl in Cologne, all and more in the Bundesliga review.
The biggest anticipated match was by far the Revierderby between rivals Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund. Sadly it did not live up to the hype, but then most matches like these tend not to. So spoils were shared, as were police who monitored every step of the away fans to ensure that they were not attacked in a match that ended 0-0.
In the first half the cards were flying with five in the first 45 minutes and therein Schalke looked the more dangerous of the two. The second half was more in the hands of the hosts BVB as Thomas Tuchel’s squad looked to get the full points. Both squads will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Champions League against Sporting Portugal and Europa League against Krasnodar respectively.
In an unexpected top of the table clash TSG Hoffenheim played host to Hertha BSC. In a battle of two teams in the Champions League places and their top coaches of Julian Nagelsmann and Pal Dardai. In the end it was the Sinsheim club who came away victors 1-0 in a match that left one club in the Europa League places and another four points off leaders Bayern.
Olympic silver medalist Niklas Sule was the breaker of the deadlock in the first half as he powered home a free kick cross. Hertha was pushing continuously for an equalizer as team captain and former Hoffenheim player Vedad Ibesevic was not able to find an goal. Both squads have found playing without European conflicts have them currently in a better positions than those in Europe are finding this campaign at present.
Bayern faced off against local rivals FC Augsburg in the second match against themselves in a week after a second round DFB Pokal victory. After a long goal drought Robert Lewandowski led Bayern to a 3-1 home victory.
Bayern had been experiencing a difficult stretch straddling the recent international break but after a 2-2 draw with Frankfurt things have been back to recent normal as despite the best efforts by Augsburg FCB manager Carlo Ancelotti and company have won their last two league matches and last four competitive fixtures. A Lewandowski brace to end a drought of over 400 minutes was of a particular highlight in this local tussle. Next for the Bavarian’s is a Champions League visit to Holland to play PSV Eindhoven, Arjen Robben’s former club.
FC Koln have been on a tear of late and now find themselves in the lofty position of fourth after tearing apart HSV with some second half venom. 3-0 to the Billy Goats as Anthony Modeste keeps scoring.
HSV had gained one point from the hiring of Markus Gisdol in late September and have not scored a goal since the second week of the season. American Bobby Wood was sent to the showers after elbowing Koln defender Dominique Heintz and from there things got ugly. Anthony Modeste had missed a penalty in the first half but in the second, with HSV down to 10 he redirected a ball for one, headed one in from close range, and broke the offsides trap to get a second half hat trick. It seems that the success of the Billy Goats is linked with the Frenchman’s goal scoring prowess.
In other Bundesliga action
Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Monchengladbach, AKA ‘Some German Team’ played to a 0-0 draw in which both sides happened to not find rhythm to exploit the other.
Bayer Leverkusen defeated still lifeless Wolfsburg 2-1 with a late flurry of goals from Admir Mehmedi and Tin Jedvaj.
RB Leipzig, the newly promoted side, defeated Darmstadt 2-0 to keep in step with league leaders Bayern as just two points of the pace there is still much to play for the Red Bull funded club.
SC Freiburg had not earned a point on the road but visiting Werder Bremen was the difference as a pair of first half goals were scored to place the hosts on the back foot and a 3-1 result for the southern club was the result.
A pair of second half goals for Mainz ensured that the gap between those looking at European qualification have serious separation from clubs who are in some form of danger of relegation. 2-0 victory for the Carnival club will give momentum prior to their midweek Europa League match.
Player of the Week
Anthony Modeste: Hard to do much more than score a second half hat trick to earn honors here. Now he has 11 goals and a firm four goal lead in the race for the torjagerkanone.
German Football Phrase
Torjagerkanone: cannon shaped trophy given to the top goal scorer of the season
